George Charlie Baker

George Charlie Baker is a New Zealand murderer convicted of the 2006 murder of Liam Ashley during a prison transport in Auckland.^[1]

On 24 August 2006, Baker was placed in the same secure compartment of a prison transport van as 17-year-old Liam Ashley, who had been remanded in custody after appearing in the North Shore District Court.^[2] During the journey to Auckland Central Remand Prison in Mt Eden, Baker fatally assaulted Ashley. The attack went undetected until arrival at the prison. Ashley later died in hospital from his injuries.^[3]

In December 2006, Baker pleaded guilty to murder in the High Court at Auckland.^[4] He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years.^[4]

At the time of the 2006 murder of Liam Ashley, George Charlie Baker had an already extensive criminal history and had accumulated 79 previous convictions and had served multiple prior prison sentences^[3][5][6] and had spent almost all of the last seven years in prison or psychiatric care after a violent home invasion on a woman pensioner.^[4]

Media coverage of the sentencing described Baker’s prior convictions as including serious violent offending such as aggravated robbery, violent assaults, kidnapping, threatening to kill witnesses, and assault with intent to wound.^[3][4][7][6] Reports also noted a history of breaches of court orders, breach of parole conditions, and reoffending following release from custody.^[7][6][5] Baker was described at his 2006 murder trial as having "an extremely violent disposition".^[4]

In December 2003, while serving part of his earlier 8 year prison sentence at the Special Needs Unit at Auckland Prison, Baker was referred to the Psychological Services of the Department of Corrections for the purpose of providing a report to assist them in managing his behaviour. The report noted that Baker's history suggested that "it is likely that Mr Baker would resort to the use of violence and weapons to further his ends" and "there is some possibility that he may resort to extreme violence in order to obtain fame". The report concluded by saying "Mr Baker would, in a heightened emotional state though while in possession of his faculties, attempt to injure, wound or kill as many victims as possible. Victims would be arbitrarily selected or be representative of a class of authorities who Mr Baker regards as being deserving of retribution".^[5]

Following his conviction, Baker was involved in several further violent incidents while imprisoned.

• In July 2008, while being returned to Auckland Prison from Auckland City Hospital after treatment for self-inflicted injuries, Baker produced a concealed improvised weapon (shiv) and attempted to escape. A prison officer sustained minor injuries. Baker was subdued and returned to custody.^[8]
• On 27 August 2009, Baker took an 83-year-old fellow inmate hostage inside Auckland Prison using a makeshift knife and two razor blades. He demanded transfer to a less secure prison unit in exchange for the hostage's safety. Police negotiators resolved the situation without injury.^[9]
• In 2010, Baker was convicted on charges arising from the 2008 escape attempt and 2009 hostage incident. He was sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum non-parole period of 16 years.^[10]
• On 12 November 2016, Baker was involved in another stand-off at North Shore Hospital when he broke a window and used a shard of glass to threaten corrections officers and hospital staff.^[11] The incident was resolved without serious injury.^[12]
• In June 2020, Baker was sentenced on charges relating to throwing boiling jam on another inmate and stabbing him repeatedly with a pen.^[13]

Baker remains subject to life imprisonment for murder and preventive detention for subsequent violent offending.^[10]